Live in Concert: Zambra

Join us at Roundhead Brewing on Sunday, June 1 at 7p for an unforgettable evening of music with Zambra, a genre-defying string ensemble whose name—drawn from the Arabic word for “gathering”—reflects both their global roots and collaborative spirit.

Featuring Ángela Varo (violin, Andalusia), Ria Modak (guitar, NYC), Devon Gates (bass, Atlanta), Queralt Giralt (cello, Catalonia), and Bahar Badieitabar (oud, Tehran), Zambra blends original compositions and traditional music through soulful improvisation and dynamic interplay.

For this special performance, they’re joined by clarinetist Jahnvi Madan (Seattle), expanding their sonic palette in a one-night celebration of sisterhood, cultural connection, and musical exploration.

This community concert is hosted in partnership with Roundhead Brewing, New England’s first Latino-owned brewery and a Best of Boston winner. Known for its craft brews, artisan pizzas, and vibrant atmosphere, Roundhead is more than a brewery—it’s a community space that champions local culture and the arts. This activation of art is part of their ongoing commitment to uplifting diverse voices and supporting organizations like Departure Arts.

More About Zambra:

Devon Gates (bass)

Devon Gates is a bassist, vocalist, and composer from Atlanta, Georgia, now based in Brooklyn, NY. After studying anthropology and jazz performance at Harvard University, Berklee College of Music, and the Royal Academy of Music (London, UK) she has emerged in the contemporary jazz scene, working with esteemed artists including Terri Lyne Carrington, Vijay Iyer, Jen Shyu, and Nicole Mitchell, and performing at venues such as The Kennedy Center, SFJazz, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, and the London Jazz Festival. Recently named one of 2024’s Up and Comers of the Year (The New York City Jazz Record), she also leads her own projects as a bandleader, collaborator, and composer, bringing her unique blend of jazz, chamber, and soul influences to New York, Japan, Italy, Mongolia, India, the UK, and more in recent years. 

Ria Modak (guitar)

Ria Modak is a guitarist, composer, and historian from New York. She is a PhD student at Brown University, where she studies music and nationalism in India, and is a recent graduate of the dual degree program between Harvard College and the New England Conservatory. She has worked with Vijay Iyer, Ali Sethi, Paquito D'Rivera, Isheeta Chakrvarty and others across the United States and South Asia, at venues including Joe's Pub, Roulette Intermedium, Carnegie Hall, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! and more.

Ángela Varo (violin)

Ángela Varo Moreno is an award winning violinist ,composer and producer from Baena in Andalusia. She is known for her blend of jazz, Romani, and flamenco in her music, which celebrates the rich heritage of her birthplace. Based in Boston, she is an honored alumna of Berklee College of Music undergraduate and Global Jazz Institute master programs and actively collaborates with artists such as Danilo Pérez, Califato 3/4 and Lole Montoya. Ángela's work aims to bridge traditional music with contemporary innovation and for it to be a tool for generational healing and social change.

Queralt Giralt (cello)

Queralt Giralt Soler is a cellist, composer, and music educator known for blending cello and voice in a unique, innovative style. A graduate in cello pedagogy from ESMUC, she is currently pursuing a Jazz Performance diploma at Berklee College of Music, supported by a full-tuition scholarship. Queralt has collaborated with renowned artists like Kenny Barron, Jacques Morelenbaum, Joe Lovano, and Darol Anger, and has played with the Latin Grammy awarded group Las Migas. As part of the Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, she studies under Linda May Han Oh, and has performed across the U.S. and Spain, fusing diverse musical cultures.

Bahar Badieitabar (oud)

Bahar Badieitabar is an Iranian oud player and composer, currently studying composition and performance at Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship. Back in Iran, she studied under notable oud players Siavash Roshan, Negar Bouban and Yurdal Tukcan. She won the first place at the Iranian Youth National Music Festival for two consecutive years at the ages of 16 and 17. She has performed at numerous venues and music festivals both in Iran and the United States with musicians of diverse backgrounds. She has studied and worked with acclaimed musicians such as Marti Epstein, Kris Davis and Alain Mallet; since 2022, she has been part of the Berklee institute of Jazz Gender and Justice. Her background contributes to her authentic approach to composition, which is rooted in Iranian classical music, contemporary concert music and jazz. Currently, she is a member of Danilo Perez’s Global Jazz Messengers and has shared the stage with renowned musicians including John Patitucci, Brian Blade and Danilo Perez himself.

Jahnvi Madan (clarinet)

Named Northwest Emerging Artist of the Year by Earshot Jazz, Jahnvi Madan is an Indian American clarinetist, improviser, composer, and educator currently based in Seattle. As a bandleader, she has performed her original music at several well-known Jazz Festivals, including the Washington D.C. Women in Jazz Festival, the Westerlies Festival, and recently at Earshot Jazz Festival, as their youngest commissioned composer. Madan has established herself locally, playing her music with her quintet at venues around Seattle like the Royal Room and Seattle Jazz Fellowship. She has received funding for her musical projects from the City of Seattle, Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, Artist Trust, New England Conservatory, the City of Auburn, and more. A recent graduate of the New England Conservatory, she studied under renowned musicians such as Jason Moran, Melissa Aldana, Dominique Eade, and Frank Carlberg. Madan recorded her debut album in November 2024 at Studio Litho in Seattle, with support from Artist Trust’s GAP Grant, the Presser Foundation, and New England Conservatory’s Spark Award. It will be released in the Spring of 2025. Madan is currently Artist-in Residence at Town Hall Seattle.